Convertible oar



Jan. 2, 1951 r L. F. GUSTAFSON CONVERTIBLE OAR 2 Sheefis-Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1947 INVENTOR.

[earurwJffzu/afin/r Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATE$ PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in cars, and, more particularly, to a convertible oar.

An object of this invention is to provide a highly efiicient oar that can be quickly and easily exchanged from a jointed rotatable car to a rigid oar of the conventional type, and vice versa.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel rowlock for the convertible oar when used as a rotatable oar.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the drawings.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of the improved oar adjusted for use as a rotatable car and mounted on a novel rowlock attached to a fragment of the gunwale of a boat, shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view principally in side elevation of the intermediate portion of the convertible oar and the rowlock, as shown in Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a view principally in section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 6;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views principally in section taken on the lines 44 and 5-5 of Fig. 2, re-

. spectively;

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the convertible car and rowlock, as shown in Fig. 2, with the exception that the paddle and handle sections of the oar are axially aligned; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the convertible oar removed from the rowlock and the paddle and handle sections of the shaft axially aligned and rigidly connected as a rigid car.

The shaft 2 of the convertible oar includes a paddle section 9 having a paddle l9 and a handle section II having a handle E2. The shaft sections 9 and H are connected by a universal joint l3 comprising a wide ring I4 and a pair of relatively long diametrically opposite ears I5 on each of said sections, that overlap the ring M. The cars I5 of one pair extend midway between the ears l5 of the other pair. These ears iii of each pair are on a line that extends at an angle of ninety degrees from a horziontal plane.

The cars l5 are pivotally connected to the ring I 4 by cap screws I6.

Each shaft section 9-ll, on opposite under sides thereof, is recessed to form a wide web ll having therein a longitudinal transverse slot l8, for a purpose which will presently appear. A coupling sleeve i9 is telescoped onto the handle section I i for sliding movement over the universal joint i3 and onto the inner end portion of the shaft section 9 to rigidly connect the two shaft sections 9-| l in axial alignment. This sleeve 89 at its end portion has an external annular bead 2G.

Co-operating with the sleeve It to further rigidly connect the two shaft sections 9 and II in axial alignment is a long bolt 2! slidably mounted in axial bores 22 in said two sections and the hole in the ring M. This bolt 2| is actuated by the coupling sleeve i9 and is connected thereto by a stud 23 having at its outer end porticn screw-threaded engagement with the sleeve l9. The stud 28 extends through a longitudinal slot 24 in the handle section II and has a reduced inner end portion that loosely extends into a seat 25 in the bolt 2!.

When the convertible car is used as a rotatable oar, the bolt 2| is held entirely within the section of the bore 22 in the handle section II.

In using the convertible oar as a rigid oar in which the shaft sections 9-H are rigidly connected by the sleeve l9 and the bolt 2|, the sleeve 19 will be mounted in the conventional rowlock.

Referring now to my novel rowlock 26 for the convertible oar, when used as a rotatable oar, the same includesa bracket 21 applicable to the gunwale 28 of a boat, a fragment of which is shown in Fig. 1, by means of screws, not shown, insertable through holes 29 in said bracket. Rigidly secured to the bracket 2? is a pair of bearing hubs 39. These hubs 39 are in upwardly diverging relation transversely of the gunwale 2B and extend inwardly thereof.

A short wide fiat link 31 rests on the upper end of each hub 39 and at one end portion is pivotally connected to said hub by a nutequipped bolt 32. On the other end portion of each hub 35 is a pair of laterally spaced upstanding ears 33 between which the web ll of one of the shaft sections 9--Il extend longitudinally. Nut-equipped bolts 35 extend through aligned holes in each pair of ears 33 and through the slots 18. Obviously, the nutequipped bolts 3d detachably connect the shaft sections 9-4 i to the rowlock 29 for compound pivotal and limited endwise movement. During rowing operation, the links 3! swing about the axes of the bolts 32 and the handle l2 and the universal joint [3 move in vertical orbits.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the convertible car described is capable of modifications as to details of construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a rowlock having a pair of hubs, the axes of which are in upwardly diverging relation, of an oar having a shaft coprising a paddle section and a handle section, a universal joint connecting said sections, and a pair of links pivoted one to each of the hubs to turn about the axis thereof, each of said sections being attached to one of the links for compound pivotal and limited endwise movements.

2. The combination with a rowlock having a pair of hubs, the axes of which are in upwardly diverging relation, of an oar having a shaft comprising a paddle section and a handle section, the under sides of each of said sections being recessed to afford a longitudinal web having therein an elongated slot, a universal joint connecting said sections, a pair of links pivoted, one to each of the hubs to turn about the axes thereof, each link having a pair of ears between which the web of one of said sections extends,. and pivot pins in said pairs of ears and extending through the slots in the webs.

3. An oar having a shaft comprising a paddle section and a handle section, a universal joint connecting said sections, said sections having in their inner end portions axial bores, and a bolt mounted in the bore of one of said sections for endwise sliding movement into the bore in the other of said sections to rigidly connect the two sections in axial alignment.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in which the universal joint includes a ring through which the bolt extends when connecting the two shaft sections.

5. The structure defined in claim 3, further including a sleeve telescoped onto one of the shaft sections and attached to the bolt for operating the same.

6. An oa'r having a shaft comprising a paddle section and a handle section, a universal joint including a ring connecting said sections, said sections having in their inner end portions axial bores, a bolt mounted in the bore of one of said sections for endwise sliding movement through the ring and into thebore in the other of said sections to rigidly connect the two sections in axial alignment, and a sleeve telescoped onto one of the sections for sliding movement over the universal joint and onto the other shaft section when'said shaft sections are in axial alignment, said sleeve being attached to the bolt for operating the same.

"I. A rowlock including a pair of bearings, a member mounted to turn about the axis of each bearing and having an upstanding extension, the upper end of which is oiiset from the projected axis of the bearing to swing thereabout in the arc of a circle as said member turns relative to the bearing, and an oar having a shaft comprising a paddle section and a handle section, a universal joint connecting said sections, said sections being connected one to the upper end portion of the extension of each member for pivotal movement, at least one of said sections being free for bodily shifting movement transversely of its pivotal movement and in which the connection between each oar section and the extension on the respective member is a pin on said extension and a slot in the oar section through which the pin projects.

8. A rowlock including a pair of bearings, a member mounted to turn about the axis of each bearing and having a pair of laterally spaced upstanding extensions, the outer ends of which are offset from the projected axis of the bearing to swing thereabout as said member turns relative to the bearing, and an'oar having a shaft comprising a paddle section and a handle section, a universal joint connecting said sections, each of said sections having a transverse slot,.and a pin on the outer end portions of the extensions on the respective member and extending through said slot.

9. A rowlock including a pair of bearings, a

member mounted to turn about the axis of each bearing and having a pair of laterally spaced upstanding extensions, the outer ends of which are offset from the projected axis of the bearing to swing thereabout as said member turns relative to the bearing, and an oar having a shaft comprising a paddle section and a handle section, a universal joint connecting said sections, each of said sections having a longitudinal web extending between the extensions on the respective member and provided with a transverse slot,

and a pin on the outer end portions of said 6X- tensions and extending through the slot.

LEONARD F. GUSTAFSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 981,361 Behr Jan. 10, 1911 1,036,222 Griffenberg Aug. 20, 1912 1,086,172 Herweg Feb. 3, 1914 1,207,584 Maheu Dec. 5, 1916 

